Oprah list

[Union Endicott High School <ehslib@SPECTRA.NET>]

Dear Group::

Recently this statement appeared on our listserv.

>>Oprah certainly seems to have more people interested in reading.  I work
in a bookstore and we get lots of calls asking what book Oprah has chosen.

Many people have posted the lists of titles that have been chosen, I doubt
Oprah herself chooses them.  What is the general opinion on the selected
titles?  How much influence does the publisher have on the selection?  Any
publisher would want his book selected of course, think of the volumn of sales!

Some interesting information from ALA web site.
>
>          ALA will once again be distributing free copies to
>          public and high school ALA member libraries and to the
>          ALA chapters. (Simon & Schuster received the labels
>          from ALA on February 27th, so the books should be
>          shipped soon.) If you receive more copies than your
>          library can use, please feel free to share them with
>          libraries in your area.
>
>          ALA is delighted to be working with Oprah Winfrey's
>          staff on the Book Club, and to share the following
>          information that should help answer some of your
>          questions.
>
>             * A book will be chosen each month and announced on
>               "The Oprah Winfrey Show." There is not a set day
>               of each month that the Book Club will air. We will
>               let you know the future air dates via the ALA web
>               site --  http://www.ala.org/events/promoevents/

>             * The books featured to date are:
>                  o The Deep End of the Ocean by Jacquelyn Mitchard
>                  o Song of Solomon by Toni Morrison
>                  o The Book of Ruth by Jane Hamilton
>                  o She's Come Undone by Wally Lamb
>                  o Stones from the River by Ursula Hegi

>             * The books selected are novels only. They are books Oprah has
read and wants to share with her
>               viewers. We know that you would like a list of  books to be
featured for the remainder of the
>               year. Unfortunately, we do NOT have a list. The decision is
not made that far in advance. We are
>               continuing to work with Oprah's staff on how to  get the
information to librarians as quickly as
>               possible.

>             * Oprah asks her viewers to read the chosen book and to write
to the show with their thoughts,
>               opinions, and insights on the book. Four viewers are then
chosen to have dinner with Oprah and the
>               author. To make this process as fair as possible, selected
titles will not be released before the
>               day they are announced on the show.

>             * At Oprah's request, the publisher of each Book  Club
selection donates 10,000 books to libraries.
>               ALA is helping distribute these books by providing  lists of
public and high school member libraries.
>
               * If your patrons ask you how to write to Oprah's  Book Club,
please give them the following address:
>               Oprah's Book Club, P.O. Box 617640 Chicago, IL 60661, or
they can write via America Online: go to
>               "keyword" and type in "Oprah."
>



Gail M. Szeliga
ehslib@spectra.net
Union Endicott High School
Endicott, NY 13760